I HAVE HAD THIS CAMERA, UNUSED, FOR MANY YEARS AND NOW AM GOING TO TRY TAKING SOME PHOTOS WITH IT. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING SOME 4 X 5 FILM CUT DOWN TO 3-1/4 X 4-1/4. THIS IS BEING DONE BY THE PHOTOLAB IN BERKELEY, CA. THE TECHNICIAN THERE SAYS THERE MUST BE SOMETHING MISSING FROM MY FILM HOLDERS THAT WOULD HOLD THE FILM FLAT AFTER THE SLIDE IS REMOVED AS, OTHERWISE, NOT ALL OF THE IMAGE WOULD BE IN FOCUS. I DON'T THINK HE IS CORRECT AS I BELIEVE I HAVE EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH THE CAMERA, I.E., THE CAMERA, TWO FILM HOLDERS AND THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION BOOKLET. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE A MISSING PART(S) FOR EACH OF THE TWO FILM HOLDERS. DOES HE HAVE A POINT? IT IS TRUE THAT AFTER THE SLIDE IS REMOVED THE FILM WOULD JUST BE SITTING THERE WITH VERY LITTLE TO PREVENT IT FROM WAGGLING AROUND A BIT. THERE IS A RECTANGULAR SPRING IN THE FILM HOLDER, BUT THAT WOULDN'T SUFFICE FOR MUCH.[/u]

I think the technician is mistaken. I've used ordinary 3x4 film holders on my RB Graflex and never had trouble with out-of-focus images. Of course the film holders have to be the correct ones for a Graflex SLR, with grooves along the sides. I can't imagine what other part you'd need. Best thing to do is just load the holders as they are with film and see what happens.

1. Please turn off your caps lock when posting. ALL CAPS ARE DIFFICULT TO READ AND IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING.

2.

Quote:

THERE IS A RECTANGULAR SPRING IN THE FILM HOLDER, BUT THAT WOULDN'T SUFFICE FOR MUCH

You have glass plate holders not film holders. Film sheaths were made for plate holders so that one could use film and plates in the same holder.

If you have some thin metal plates with the edge rolled over leaving a thin gap between the base and edge on both long and one short side then they are the sheaths.

The other option is to find some 3x4 Graflex film holders. They will be the same with and length as the plate holders but may be a little thinner. Standard film holders will not fit unless the back of the camera is modified to accept them._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

45PSS is right of course. I'd forgotten about glass plates and jumped in too soon. I looked on the auction site and found a listing for what may be the film holders you need:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/3-3-4x-4-3-4-Film-Holders-6-Graflex-Film-Pack-Adapt-/280588064789?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item41545a1815
In the enlarged view you can see that the holders are marked for film and they have the grooves needed to fit Graflex SLR.
One caution: the seller has listed the holder size as 3-3/4 x 4-3/4 inches. I can't tell how the seller measured them. If you're interested you should ask him/her to measure the inside of the holder frame. If it's 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches or close, they're the right size.

Looking closely at the 3rd picture on enlarged view they are 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Graflex film holders and a Pack Film holder good for a paper weight._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

Thanks for your replies. I am sure you are correct. I acquired the camera from a very elderly person who very probably used plates rather than film. If she ever used film, she no doubt had the sheaths, but there isn't room for them in the camera carrying case which is designed to hold just the camera and the two film holders. So when she gave me the camera, if she had the sheaths, she apparently forgot to give them to me.

I will check the web site you furnished. The sky won't fall if I can't find the right stuff. It's still a nice old camera to have.

If the holders are indeed the 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 size they will fit your camera. I can tell by the photos that the holders (with the grooves) are the right kind for a Graflex SLR (as opposed to the Graphic press cameras.

Looking at the last picture one of the holders at the bottom front has a rounded load door edge which I think is a plate holder. If so, that will reduce the usable to 5. Another clue that they are the correct type is the slot just below the darkslide, standard holders will have a ridge in the same position._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.